Hi there! I’m so excited to be bringing you my new FREE quilt pattern called, Summer Bound. I don’t know about you but these cold temps are making me wish I were sitting on a beach somewhere! Summer cannot come soon enough. Are you a summer person? I am. For me summer means baseball, late nights, and lots of yummy fresh food! You can’t go wrong with either of those. Until then, I will soak up all of the summer sun from my new free pattern!
I so was inspired by Lori Holt’s new Flea Market Applique Panel and I just knew I had to do something with it. It makes me so happy every time I look at it! I love applique quilts, but I’m just not brave enough to make one. I’ve only tried applique once on the Sew Sampler Goodness Grows pattern, and that was enough for me to know, it’s just not right for me, right now. That pattern called for 3 applique blocks and after I made the first one, I said nope! I then replaced the other two applique blocks with adorable blocks from Lori Holt’s Farmgirl Vintage Books. It was a great choice!
One thing about me is I like to make quilts fast. Fast for me is about a month or two. I try not to spend too long on them because I do get bored easily and I have the fear of not finishing what I started. There’s nothing more that gives me anxiety than seeing an unfinished quilt staring at me, when all I want to do is start a new one. I try my very best to finish every quilt I make, well, at least finish the top. I do have a few quilts in the, “waiting to be quilted pile.” I think you all can relate! Get those UFOs done! Ok, enough rambling on, lets get back to my free pattern.
On thing I love about applique panels are they give us the look of an applique quilt without any of the extra work. When designing Summer Bound I wanted to make sure that the applique blocks didn’t have to compete with any other blocks in the quilt. I also knew I didn’t want just a quilt with the applique blocks. After drawing a few designs my eye kept being drawn to the Irish Chain style quilt. The Irish Chain blocks complemented the applique blocks really well and allowed me to add more color in the quilt. I intentionally chose 2.5” print squares to make up the Irish chain blocks because if follow Lori Holt at all, you know she cuts all of her left overs in strips and squares, and 2.5” squares are one of those. So if you’re like me, you may already have those lying around in your stash! Those 2.5” squares also help add detail while adding several beautiful prints to complement the applique panels. I needed to channel my inner Lori! I also love scrappy quilts so this quilt layout was perfect! I chose similar colors that were in the panel, reds, greens, blues, yellow, and pinks and even though the quilt is scrappy, everything looks intentional. I just love that about Lori’s prints!
Originally I decided I was going to do a video tutorial going over the steps of the quilt, but after 2 days of stressful filming, I had come to terms that filming tutorials just isn’t me, right now. I know all of you were excited to watch the tutorial and I am so sorry it will not be available. I had a deep conversation with my husband about it and one thing I always try to do is only make what makes me happy (in my sewing room). If something doesn’t make me happy or bring me joy, I’m not doing it. In today’s world there is too many negative and I will not bring that energy into my sewing room. This is My Happy Place (another Lori Holt reference) and I want everything I do to be happy! I learned a lot about myself while trying to film the tutorial. Some things I was aware of and some things I was not aware of, but one thing I will say, is that those videos were not me. I stumbled over every word and I didn’t feel they added any value. I want everything I do to add value to my life and your life. It is important for me to stay true to myself and I wish the same for you. Something I always say to my self is “You are your best when you are yourself,” and its true! Even though I wont have a video tutorial at this time, I still wanted to bring you the free pattern. The pattern is written beautifully and it is easy to follow, just like all my quilt patterns! I think you will find the pattern and quilt still wonderful without the tutorial. I just want to thank all of you for the support you have shown me! I really appreciate every one of you!
I hope you enjoy making the Summer Bound free quilt pattern and I look forward to seeing your progress and finished quilts!
Download the free Summer Bound Quilt Pattern below:
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Use #summerboundquilt and share your version of the summer bound quilt with everyone!
See the fabric requirements below:
Want to know what supplies I used in my Summer Bound Quilt? See links below!
(links are to Fat Quarter Shop, but you may be able to get them at your local quilt shop)
Thats all for now! I hope you have a great day!
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